Review: "BLACK PANTHER: Wakanda Forever" is the Best Marvel Movie in Years

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 69 of 2022 (No. 1881) by Leroy Douresseaux

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Running time:  161 minutes
MPA – PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action and some language
DIRECTOR:  Ryan Coogler
WRITERS:  Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole; from a story by Ryan Coogler (based on the Marvel Comics)
PRODUCERS: Kevin Feige and Nate Moore
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Autumn Durald Arkapaw (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Kelley Dixon, Jennifer Lame, and Michael P. Shawver
COMPOSER:  Ludwig Göransson

SUPERHERO/ACTION/SCI-FI/DRAMA

Starring:  Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Tenoch Huerta, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Cole, Alex Livinalli, Mabel Cadena, Richard Schiff, Robert John Burke, Lake Bell, Manuel Chavez, Maria Mercedes Coroy, Divine Love Konadu-Sun, Trevor Noah (voice), Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Michael B. Jordan

[Emotionally super-charged and possessing some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's greatest battles, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is Marvel Studios' best film in over three years.]

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a 2022 superhero, fantasy-drama, science fiction, and action movie directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Marvel Studios.  The film is a direct sequel to the 2018 film, Black Panther, and is the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  It is based on the Marvel Comics character, Black Panther, that first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966) and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby.  Wakanda Forever finds Wakanda in mourning following the death of its king while also facing a threatening world and a mysterious new adversary.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in the African nation of Wakanda as King T'Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) dies from a mysterious illness.  One year later, his mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), must face the United Nations, as world powers demand access to Wakanda's most precious resource, the metal Vibranium.  One particular nation even hires mercenaries to invade a Wakandan outpost in order to steal its vibranium, but they are foiled by Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje, the King of Wakanda's personal guard.

However, the American CIA's attempt to find vibranium on its own draws the attention of a mysterious new adversary, known by many names, but is called “Namor” (Tenoch Huerta) by his enemies.  Namor leads the forces of his kingdom, Talokan, in a strike against the Americans.  He confronts Ramonda and Shuri (Letitia Wright), Ramonda's daughter and T'Challa's younger sister, as they grieve.  He demands that they find the scientist who created the Americans' vibranium detecting device and kill him.  The him turns out to be a her, a Chicago-based teen named Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne).  Now, Shuri and Ramonda must gather allies, including T'Challa's ex-lover, Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), and M'Baku (Winston Duke), leader of the Wakandan border tribe, the Jibari, in order to fight off the forces of Namor, which are more than capable of destroying Wakanda and perhaps, the world.  Can Wakanda survive without its champion, the Black Panther, or must another arise?...

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a triumphant – a poignant triumphant and a superhero action movie triumph.  It is much better than I expected and that I could have hoped for.  Wakanda Forever is the most emotionally honest, genuine, and heartfelt Marvel Studios film since Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.  The fight scenes are some of the best outside of martial arts films, and the action and battles scenes are Avengers-level.

Angela Bassett stands astride this film, which is both a eulogy to Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa/Black Panther and also a powerful and successful attempt to forge ahead with the franchise.  Bassett, as regal and as dramatically potent as she has ever been, is glorious, and it time for her to receive the Oscar win she should have had ages ago.  She exemplifies the grief in the film for half its narrative.

Letitia Wright exemplifies that grief the rest of the way.  Wright also shows impressive range – playing Shuri as obstinate and angry in the face of her brother's death.  [That death is depicted in Wakanda Forever's opening moments, and the audience with which I saw this film was stunned into silence.]  Wright plays Shuri's turn to the “dark side” with the depth of performance that usually earns actors some award season notice.  She is truly the lead in Wakanda Forever, and she carries it with the flair of a veteran, accomplished actor.

I also had high hopes for Tenoch Huerta as Namor, and he easily surpasses them.  Huerta makes Namor seem so real that his murderous inclinations come across as entirely appropriate for that which Namor is fighting and defending.  Huerta's performance also works to uplift the other actors playing denizens of the kingdom of Talokan.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is filled so much good stuff.  The costumes, art direction, make-up and hair, cinematography, and editing are all … well, Oscar-worthy.  Ludwig Göransson's score is a masterpiece of tones both subtle and tremendous and is easily on the level of Hans Zimmer's award-winning score for Dune: Part One (2021).

I don't want this review to run-on too long...  If I could speak to Ryan Coogler, I would tell him that already loved him for his film, Fruitvale Station, and that he made me love him even more after the first Black Panther.  I don't have the words to describe how great an accomplishment Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is.  Coogler honored his friend and partner, Chadwick Boseman, as well as he could, and he made a truly great and magnificent film.  It honors Boseman and reveals how much respect Coogler has for his audience via the film art he creates.  I am giving Black Panther: Wakanda Forever my highest recommendation.

10 of 10

Friday, November 11, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 6th to 12th, 2022 - Update #6

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Actress Ellen Pompeo will depart ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" as a full-time cast member on the episode that airs Feb. 23rd, 2023.

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  A New York jury today found Oscar-winning filmmaker, Paul Haggis ("Crash"), liable on all three counts of rape and sexual abuse in his treatment of Haleigh Breest, who left a party in Manhattan with him in 2013 and then, sued him in 2017, claiming he repeatedly forced sex on her in his apartment that night. 

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Nexstar, new owner of The CW television networks, says that The CW will shed most content from Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global, the former owners, after the 2023-24 broadcast season.  Some things may remain, but Nexstar is looking for better financial deals going forward.

CELEBRITY - From YahooLife:  In the last weeks of her life, the late Queen Elizabeth reportedly became close to movie star/icon, Tom Cruise.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 11/4 to 11/6/2022 weekend box office is Warner Bros. Pictures' "Black Adam" with an estimated take of 18.5 million dollars.

From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux's review of "Black Adam."

SCANDAL - From Deadline:  I'm not a rapist says Oscar-winner Paul Haggis.

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BRITTNEY GRINER:

From NBCNews:   Brittney Griner will enter a system of isolation, grueling labor and psychological torment when she is transferred to a penal colony, the successor to the infamous Russian gulag, to fulfill a nine-year sentence handed down Tuesday in Moscow, former prisoners and advocates said.

From NBCNews:  A Russian court has rejected Brittney Griner's appeal of her nine-year prison sentence on (fake) drug charges.

From Reuters:  Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.

From TheDailyBeast:   Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.

From Vox:  Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.

From ESPN:   A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th.  Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.

From ESPN:  The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

From RSN:  "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack

From ESPN:  Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.

From CBSSports:  The Brittney Griner situation explained.

From RSN:  According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."

Review: "NEXT AVENGERS: Heroes of Tomorrow" - Average Story; Really Good Characters

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 68 of 2022 (No. 1880) by Leroy Douresseaux

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (2008) – video/animation
Running time:  78 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and some mild language
DIRECTORS:  Jay Oliva and Gary Hartle
WRITERS:  Christopher Yost; from a screen story by Greg Johnson and Craig Kyle (based on the Marvel Comics characters)
PRODUCER:  Gary Hartle
EDITOR: George P. Rizkallah
COMPOSER: Guy Michaelmore
ANIMATION STUDIO:  The Answerstudio Col, Ltd.

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION with elements of drama

Starring:  (voices) Noah Crawford, Brenna O'Brien, Aidan Drummond, Dempsey Pappion, Adrian Petriw, Tom Kane, Shawn Macdonald, Ken Kramer, Nicole Oliver, Michael Adamthwaite, and Fred Tatasciore

“Marvel Animated Features” was a line of eight direct-to-DVD animated superhero films made by MLG Productions.  MLG was a joint venture between Marvel Animation (then called Marvel Studios) and Lions Gate Entertainment to produce direct-to-DVD animated films for the home entertainment market.  The first film in the series was Ultimate Avengers: The Movie, which was released to DVD in February 2006.

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow is a 2008 straight-to-video animated superhero film directed by Jay Oliva and Gary Hartle.  It was the fifth entry in the “Marvel Animated Features” line.  The film is based on the classic Marvel Comics franchise, the Avengers, which debuted in 1963 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.  Next Avengers focuses on the children of the Avengers as they hone their powers and face the enemy that was responsible for their parents' demise.

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow is set on a world in which its mightiest superheroes:  Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Giant Man, Wasp, Black Panther, Hawkeye, and Vision came together to protect Earth from its greatest threats.  They were “The Avengers.”  But one day, the Avengers fell before the might of the maniacal, mechanical foe, Ultron (Tom Kane), a robot.

Before they were defeated, the Avengers sent billionaire bachelor Tony Stark (Tom Kane) into hiding their children.  Twelve years later, at a hidden location, the son of Steve Rogers/Captain America, James Rogers (Noah Crawford); the daughter of Thor, Torunn (Brenna O'Brien); the son of Black Panther, Azari (Dempsey Pappion); and the son of Giant Man and the Wasp, Pym (Aidan Drummond); train under the tutelage of Tony.  The children, however, are growing restless, and their curiosity causes them to do something that brings them to Ultron's attention.

With their new ally, Hawkeye/Francis Baron (Adrian Petriw), the son of the original Hawkeye, these children of the Avengers will take on their parents' greatest adversary.  But will the children fall before this robot menace as their parents did?

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow is an entertaining superhero action-fantasy.  The action is engaging, and the plot is good, although it is not as well executed as it could be.  The resolution undersells the potential of the characters, as if the main purpose of this movie is just to quickly as possible wrap up the story even if it wastes the potential of both the children and the story.

The animation is good, not great.  The character design, especially the children, looks good and recalls the work of animation legends such as Bruce Timm and Don Bluth.  Not all the character are well designed; for instance, the Hulk (Fred Tatasciore) looks awful.  The environments are well designed, especially Ultron's city, “Ultra City.”

The best things about Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow are the children, the “Next Avengers.”  They are especially well written and their personalities, doubts, struggles, conflicts, desires, and goals all seem genuine.  James Rogers' desire to know his father, Captain America, and Torunn's prayerful pleas for the return of her father, Thor, are powerful and poignant.  Azari's cautiousness belies the fierce fighting spirit that dwells within him, and Pym's playful nature provides good comic relief.  Hawkeye is brave and bold and witty; he could carry his own film.  Obviously, the voice actors sell the dimensions of the character drama, and like the young characters, the actors keep Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow from being mediocre.

Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow isn't great, but the children of the Avengers are great characters.  Thus, it is a shame that this animated film is, after 14 years (as of this writing), the only film in which they appear.  I recommend that fans of animated superhero films and television series that feature Marvel Comics characters try Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow.

6 of 10
B
★★★ out of 4 stars

Wednesday, March 30, 2022


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: "VAMPIRELLA Mindwarp #2" is an Excellent Second Issue

VAMPIRELLA MINDWARP VOLUME 1 #2
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Jeff Parker
ART: Benjamin Dewey
COLORS: Dearbhla Kelly
LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry
EDITOR: Nate Cosby
COVER: Joseph Michael Linsner
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (October 2022)

Rated Teen+

“1969!”

Vampirella is a vampire and female superhero created by the late author and science fiction and horror expert, Forrest J Ackerman, and designed by comic book artist, Trina Robbins.  Vampirella first appeared in Vampirella #1 (Sept. 1969), the debut issue of a black and white horror comics magazine from Warren Publishing.  Writer-editor Archie Goodwin changed the character from a hostess of horror comics to a leading character in her own stories.

In 2010, Dynamite Entertainment obtained the character and has been publishing new Vampirella material since then.  The latest is Vampirella Mindwarp Volume 1.  This new series is written by Jeff Parker; drawn by Benjamin Dewey; colored by Dearbhla Kelly; and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry.  The series follows a mad chase across time and space, as an aged sorceress tries to steal and inhabit Vampirella's body.

Vampirella Mindwarp Volume 1 #2 (1969!) opens in the wake of the Baroness Gruzal's attempt to possess Vampirella's body.  With the help of Ren Darton, who once worked for the baroness, Vampirella makes a bid to stop the transference, and that does two things.  First, in the present, it breaks “the Crown of Karu-Hardas of Sumeria,” the relic that the baroness was using to initiate the rite that would put her mind inside Vampirella's body.

Secondly, Vampirella's ploy transports her mind to into the body of Vampirella of 1969!  And Ren's mind is now in the body of an older Pendragon the Great, a popular magician of the 1930s and Vampirella's friend.  This particular year also marks the first meeting of Vampirella and Baroness Gruzal.  It is a deadlier time, and Baron Gruzal is still alive, as are demons with an obsessive taste for a particular vampire.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Vampirella Mindwarp Volume 1 #2, which is one of many Dynamite Vampirella comic books I have read.

Vampirella Mindwarp #1 surprised me.  I was really crazy about it, and I wondered if writer Jeff Parker (a writer whose work I like) could deliver a really good second issue.  He does, as he makes the most of Vampirella's sidekick, Ren Darton.  Ren adds some depth of character to the series and allows for Vampirella to be more free-wheeling.  Parker also offers an intriguing collection of occult villains and wackos and some spicy demons.

Benjamin Dewey's art is still pretty and his storytelling is clean, straight-forward and conveys the story in a dynamic manner.  Dearbhla Kelly's colors continue to make the art pop, and Jeff Eckleberry's letters capture the crazy rhythm of this story.

Vampirella: Mindwarp #2 is a good second issue, and it has an ending that will make me return for more.  You should, also, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Vampirella comics will want to read Vampirella Mindwarp Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: VAMPIRELLA VERSUS RED SONJA Volume 2 #1

VAMPIRELLA VERSUS RED SONJA VOLUME 2 #1

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Dan Abnett

ART: Alessandro Ranaldi

COLORS: Ellie Wright

LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry

EDITOR: Nate Cosby

COVER: Lucio Parrillo

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2022)

Rated Teen+

Vampirella is a vampire and female superhero created by the late author and science fiction and horror expert, Forrest J Ackerman, and designed by comic book artist, Trina Robbins.  Vampirella first appeared in Vampirella #1 (Sept. 1969), the debut issue of a black and white horror comics magazine from Warren Publishing.  Writer-editor Archie Goodwin changed the character from a hostess of horror comics to a leading character in her own stories.

Red Sonja is a fantasy (sword and sorcery) comic book character that debuted in Marvel Comics' Conan the Barbarian #23 (cover dated: February 1973).  Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith, Red Sonja was loosely based on “Red Sonya of Rogatino,” a female character that appeared in the 1934 short story, “The Shadow of the Vulture,” written by Robert E. Howard (1906-1936), the creator of the character, Conan the Cimmerian.

Now, once again, American comics' two most Dynamite ho's are in a team-up comic book, Vampirella Versus Red Sonja Volume 2.  It is written by Dan Abnett; drawn by Alessandro Ranaldi; colored by Ellie Wright; and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry.  The new series finds Vampirella and Red Sonja involved with a cosmic collection of superheroes sworn to protect all known universes.

Vampirella Versus Red Sonja Volume 2 #1 opens in “Project HQ.”  These are the headquarters of the “The Project,”a cosmic collection of superheroes sworn to protect all known universes.  And Taja Iridessa Henson a.k.a. “Dyna Might” is the newest member.

Dyna Might discovers that her first day is perhaps the worst day ever for The Project.  Earth Plural World 6337 has been shut off from the other Plural Worlds.  Something terrible has attacked it, and that attack has stumped The Project's greatest minds.  But there is one quasi-member who may have the answers.  It's Vampirella of Plural World 2709, whom none of the other superheroes trust because they consider her to be a “daemon.”  Can Red Sonja of Plural World 0666 get something out of Vampirella?  And where does Dyna Might fit in this?

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Vampirella Versus Red Sonja Volume 2 #1, one of many, many Vampirella or Red Sonja comic books I have read.

Judging by this first issue, Vampirella Versus Red Sonja Volume 2 has potential.  First, it is written by Dan Abnett, a writer of inventive and imaginative comic books.  As expected, he has filled Vampirella Versus Red Sonja Volume 2 #1, interesting concepts if not equally interesting superheroes.  Outside of Vampirella, Red Sonja, and Dyna Might, the rest of these heroes are strictly Dullsville.  Honestly, I don't give a crap about them, but I hope that changes.

The art by Alessandro Ranaldi is stylistically uninspiring, but the storytelling is good.  Ellie Wright's coloring is muddy, and Jeff Eckleberry's lettering is over-the-top.  Comics are a graphical storytelling medium, and here, the graphics lack a spark.  I hope that changes because I think Vampirella Versus Red Sonja Volume 2 has the potential to explode.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Vampirella and/or Red Sonja will want to read Vampirella Versus Red Sonja Volume 2.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

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https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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BOOM! Studios Shipping from Diamond Distributors for November 9, 2022

BOOM! STUDIOS

SEP220415 FIREFLY KEEP FLYING #1 CVR A FRANY $7.99

SEP220416 FIREFLY KEEP FLYING #1 CVR B MERCADO $7.99

SEP220417 FIREFLY KEEP FLYING #1 CVR C FRANY PREM VAR $8.99

JUL220329 FIREFLY RETURN TO EARTH THAT WAS DLX ED HC $75.00

JUL220319 MIGHTY MORPHIN TP VOL 05 $16.99

JUL220364 SEVEN SECRETS TP VOL 03 $16.99

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Dark Horse Comics Shipping from Diamond Distributors for November 9, 2022

DARK HORSE COMICS

JUL220389 BERSERK DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 12 $49.99

JUL220400 HELLBOY & BPRD RETURN OF EFFIE KOLB & OTHERS $19.99

JUN220473 HELLBOY WEIRD TALES TP $24.99

JUN220567 KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF EIZOUKEN TP VOL 04 $14.99

AUG220423 MINOR THREATS #3 (OF 4) CVR A HEPBURN $4.99

AUG220424 MINOR THREATS #3 (OF 4) CVR B MAGUIRE $4.99

AUG220425 MINOR THREATS #3 (OF 4) CVR C FOIL HEPBURN $4.99

JUL220444 SALAMANDRE TP $24.99

SEP220519 SHOCK SHOP #3 (OF 4) CVR A LUCKERT & LEIZ $3.99

SEP220520 SHOCK SHOP #3 (OF 4) CVR B HARREN & YARSKY $3.99

JUL220465 STEPHEN MCCRANIES SPACE BOY TP VOL 14 $12.99

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